chaff
Translation
husks, rubbish, dross
Examples
The farmer separated the wheat from the chaff.
The farmer separated the wheat from the chaff.
His report was full of useless chaff.
His report was full of useless chaff.
Grammar Patterns
((the)) chaff the worthless part of something. The farmer separated the wheat from the chaff.
((useless)) chaff worthless things in general. His report was full of useless chaff.
Similar Words
Synonyms: husks, rubbish, dross; Antonyms: wheat, grain, treasure
Etymology
Derived from the Old English word 'ceaf'.
Memory Tips
The idiom 'separate the wheat from the chaff' is key. It means to distinguish the valuable from the worthless.